AGCS is a major research programme to investigate the nature of the atmospheric and oceanic linkages between the climate of the Antarctic and the rest of the Earth system, and the mechanisms involved therein.

The programme makes use of existing deep and shallow ice cores, satellite data, the output of global and regional coupled atmosphere-ocean climate models and in-situ meteorological and oceanic data to understand the means by which signals of tropical and mid-latitude climate variability reach the Antarctic, and high latitude climate signals are exported northwards.

It has four major, closely linked themes of research dealing with decadal time scale variability in the Antarctic climate system, global and regional climate signals in ice cores, natural and anthropogenic forcing on the Antarctic climate system and the export of Antarctic climate signals.